Thermoelectric safety shutoff device



`Fume 8,l v1943.

THERMOELECTRIC SAFETY SHUTOFF DEVICE original Filed Nov. 9, 1939 2 sheets-sheet 1 H. F. ALFERY 2,321,119 i June 8, 1943- H. F. ALFERY 2,321,119

'l-IERMOIFJLCTRIC` SAFETY SHUTOFF DEVICE,

Original Filed Nov. 9, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (5. /j v v @y @MM/awa um atented June 8, 1943 Henry F. Alfery, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Milwaukee Gas Specialty Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Original application November 9, 1939, Serial No.

303,601, now Patent No. 2,296,322, dated September 22, 1942.

Divided and this application November 27, 1941, Serial No. 420,670

7 iCiaims.

This invention relates to safety devices for heating and other apparatus and has particular relation to an improved thermoelectric valve for automatically shutting off the fuel supply for a burner upon extinguishment of a pilot light or other name. v

The present application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 303,601, filed November 9, 1939, now Patent No. 2,296,322, granted September 22, 1942. i

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises, generally, a valve adapted to be positioned, for instance, in the fuel supply line leading to the burner, an electromagnet, an armature for the electromagnet which, when attracted, is adapted to maintainer to permit the valve to be maintained in open or operating position, and when retracted, compels closing of the valve to shut oii the supply of fuel to the' burner, and a thermocouple adapted to be placed in position to be heated by a pilot light or other iiame and connectedin circuit with the electroan improved electromagnet assembly and mounting therefor, and more specifically, an improved electromagnet assembly having guide means for the armature adapted to constitute a part of such assembly and having also quick detachable connector means constituting a part ofthe electromagnet assembly and adapted, when the electromagnet assembly is mounted within the-enclo sure therefor, to project from the electromagnet enclosure for quick Vdetachable connection with the quick detachable'connector means on thethermocouple leads. Y

Further objects and advantages of the invention willbe apparent-from the following detailed Y description taken inconnection with the accom- DGnyi-ns drawings, in which:

Figure 1 isa vertical section through a thermoelectric valve embodyingthe present invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken onV the line Figure s is a. fragmentary vertical section-pa:- tially in elevation and showing the quick detach- `able connector means on the thermocouple leads connected withthe quickdetachable connector means on the thermoelectric valve; and

Figure 4iso felevational view showing the quick detachable connector means on the thermocouple leads.

The device is shown as a thermoelectric safety shutoff valve for shutting ou the supply of fuel tothe burner, which, for instance, may be the burner for a room, oven, or other space heater, or the burner for a water heater, conversion heater, or any other burner.

The device selected for illustration comprises a valve body i0 having a fuel inlet il and a. fuel outlet i2 which are tapped internaly to receive the inlet and outlet pipe sections i3 and lli, re-

spectively. The inlet pipe section receives the fuel from a suitable source of fuel supply, and the outlet pipe section leads to the burner.

The valve body has an internal wall or partition i5 which has a valve opening i6 through which communication is adapted to be effected between,l the inlet chamber I8, which is in communication with the inlet Il, and the outlet chamber I9, which is in communication with the outlet I2. Communication between the inlet chamber I8 and the outlet chamber i9 through the opening i6 is controlled by a valve member 25 shown as adapted to seat upon the valve seat 25', preferably in a direction with the iiow of gas or other fuel, the arrow 26 vindicating the direction of now of the fuel. The valve member 25 is held to the inner end of the valve stem 28, for instance', by a, U`shaped fastener. snap ring, or

other fastener means indicated at 29. The particular valve disc shown in the drawings has a lvention, is of generally cylindrical and cupshaped form provided at its inner end with an external flange 38. A metal shell or cup l0 has pressed fit or is otherwise suitably secured in the inner end of the hood 35, and encloses and Aseals the interior of the hood from the deleterious action of the gas or other fuel which passes through the valve body.' The hood 35 is clamped to the valve body Il by a.v union nut 42, with the hood and cup assembly closing the opening M in the valve body. A union gasket may be provided at I5. Y Y The electromagnet, which is sealed within the modena cup assembly comprises a magnet frame although this may vary widely. The magnet frame 50 is secured at 52, and is supported by a metallic plate 54. A metallic terminal stud 55 having an enlarged outer end at 55 and a reduced stem 51 extending inwardly therefrom fits in a correspondingly formed metallic bushing 58.

A metallic washer 55 underlies the adjacent portion of the plate 54 and is secured with the plate 54 to the bushing 58 and stud 55, for instance, by extending the reduced inner end of the stud 55 through the washer 50' and heading the inner end oi the stud over as indicated at 80, or otherwise as desired. The stud, which is thereby secured to the plate 54 with the bushing 50 so that these parts constitute a unitary assembly, is insulated from the bushing 53 by insulation indicated at 52. The washer 55 is insulated from the plate 5.4 by insulation indicatedat 50.

The bushing 55, with the stud. 56 secured therein as set forth, extends outwardly through an opening 65 in the outer end of the hood 36. The bushing 5B is externally threaded, and a nut 65 threaded thereon clamps the bushingand stud assembly in place in the opening "85. Screws 50 or other suitable means may be employed for additionally securing the plate 54 to the outer end of the hood 36. Packing may, if desired, be linterposed between the plate 50 and the outer end wall of the hood 35 as indicated at 59. If desired, the bushing 58 may be grounded to the hood 35. One terminal *of the magnet coil l0, which-is shown as surrounding one of the legs of the magnet frame 50, is connected at l2 to the terminal stud 55. The other terminal of the 2,321,119 53 shown in the drawings as of U-shaped form,

wardly extending bent-overiportions 9| a. cradle 92 which, in turn, is connected to the upper or outer end of the valvestem 28, preferably for limited universal movement, for instance by means of U-shaped retainers 93 engaging grooves in the upper end of the valve stem 20. The ar- A mature 30 is guided for reciprocatory movement f by the armature guides 00, and the attachment the stem 28 permits self-accommodation of the armature to the pole ends of the magnet frame of the valve member 25 to the lower end of the stem 20 preferably allows limited universal move-l ment with respect to the stem. Thislimited universal movement of the armature and valve on and self-accommodation of the valve member 25' to its seat 25'. For the purpose of resetting the valve 25 to open, position and the armature 00 to attracted position against the pole ends of the magnet frame 50 after the coll 'l0 is deenergized or after it becomes insumciently energized tohold the armature in attracted position, a resetting stem |00 is mounted for sliding movement in the valve body I0 in axial alignment with the valve 25. Secured upon the lower end of the stem |00 is a reset button |0|, and fixed upon the upper vend of the stem lis a valve member |02. 'I'he valve member |02 has a depending annular flange or coil 10 is connected at 13 to the plate y54, j'a:mi A

through the plate 54 to theterminal .bushing 58.

One oi.' the terminals of the coil 10 is adapted to be connected in circuit with one of the thermocouple leads through the stud 55, and where the bushing 58 is insulated from the hood 35, the other terminal of the coil 10 is adapted to be connected in circuit vwith the other thermocouple lead through the bushing 50. Where the bush` ing 58 is grounded to the hood, this side of the thermoelectric circuit is completed by grounding one side of the thermocouple and one of the terminals of the coil 10, for instance, to the hood 35. The enlarged outer end 'of the 'stud 55 has a conical recess 15.

Insulating strips are provided at B0 and 82, and an insulating strip 83 is provided between one side' of the coil 10 and the adjacent leg of the magnet frame `50. The insulating strips 80 and l2 have openings through which the legs of the magnet frame extend, and underlying the in- 4 sulating strip 32 is an armature guide 84 which i may be formed of metal or other suitable material. The outer end of the guide 34 has a iiange 85, and screws Il, onerat each o1' the opposite sides of the electromagnet. have their heads enrib |03 which engages the packing |00 and presses the same tightly around the stem |00 to prevent leakage of gas or other fuel out along the stem. The packing. |00 is carried by a gland member |05 mounted in the opening |00, and this opening is sealed against the leakage of gas by suitable packing indicated at' |00. A washer is provided at |00, and surrounding the stem |00 and interposed between the washer |00 and thereset button |0| is a coiled spring ||0 which normally maintains the iiow interrupter valve |02 in open position, as shown, and the reset button |0| in outwardly projected position.

Opening laterally 'from the valve opening -|6 intermediate the ends thereof is a passageway ||2 which is connected to a tube or fuel supply pipe I3 for delivering gaseous or other fuel'to the pilot burner (not showni'. The outer endl of the passageway ||2 may be closed at H0..

This passageway ||2 by-passes the iiow intergaging the iiange 35`and their shanks extending through registering openings in the insulating strips l0 and 32 and threaded at their outer ends in the depressed portion of the plate 54. The

screws 35 hold the insulating strip 32 and arma-r ture guide I4 in place sothat these parts, with the magnet frame 50, coil 10, insulating strips I0 and 02, plate 54, and the stud and bushing terminal connector, constitute a unitary assembly which, upon being positioned within the cup 35 is adapted to be secured lin place therein by the nut 5B andscrews 63, only one oi' which latter screws is shown.

The armature 90 has attached thereto by upfuel to the pilotburner when the valve ,|02 is in` raised position closingd off communication from the inlet chamber I8 to the outlet chamber I3. through the valve opening I5 during the resetting operation. At the same time, the passageway |I2 is so-disposed that the valve member 25 operates to shut off not only the supply of gaseous fuel to the main burner, but also the suD- ply of gaseous fuel to the pilot burner when the valve member 25 is closed against its seat 25'.

The thermocouple is shown by way of illustration and not by way of limitation as of the general character disclosed and claimed in Oscar J. Leiris Patent No. 2,126,564, granted August 9, 1938. The thermocouple comprises an outer tubular metallic thermocouple member |20 and an inner metallic thermocouple member |2| joined at one end tothe end of the outer thermocouple member to form the thermal junction |22 which is placed, for instance, in position to be heated by the pilot light or any other desired ame. Aninner lead conductor |23 is -joined to the inner thermocouple member to form an internal thermal junction |24, and an outer tubular lead conductor |25 is connected to the outer, thermocouple member |20, for instancethrough a sleeve 1F22, to iorm a third thermal junction t28. The outer lead conductor |25 encloses the inner lead conductor l23, and with the outer thermocouple member and the sleeve i26 constitutes an enclosure about the inner thermocouple member and the inner lead conductor and the inner thermocouple junction H24. The inner lead conductor B23 is insulated from the outer lead conductor, for instance, by a wrapping of insulation on the inner lead conductor as indicated at H29.

The free end of the inner thermocouplelead i2t extends from the adjacent end of the outer lead l2t and has fixed thereon and in good conducting contact therewith a wedge member or metallic connector cone n30. The outer` lead conductor M may have fixed thereon a metallic connector sleeve l32 in good conducting contact therewith The sleeve i32 is insulated from the cone mit by insulation indicated at i3d. lead connector nut is provided at l3ii, this nut having an internal shoulder which cooperates with a shoulder on the sleeve |32. l

By applying the connector means on the theron the thermoelectric safety valve with the cone Milli positioned in the recess l5 and threading the nut itt upon the bushing 52, the cone it@ is wedged into the recess l5, and consequently makes good positive contact with the stud 5t, thereby connecting the lead l22 with one terminal of the coil lil. At the same time, the threaded engagement between the nut. H36 and the bushing t2 together with the clamping of the nut against the connector sleeve 22 forms a good 'positive connection between the adjacent end of the lead i225 and the bushing 52, thereby connecting the lead 25 to the other terminal of the coil liti. The thermocouple leads are quickly disconnected from the device by unscrewing the nut lllii trom the bushing titi, and the connection is made quickly in the manner setforth.

The operation of the device is as follows:

When it is desired to ignite the main b urner or other burner supplied with fuel from the outlet i2, the reset button Mii is pushed manually in an inward or upward direction. This moves the valve member 25 to open position away from the seatand the armature @ii into attracted position engaging the pole ends of the magnet iframe titl. In this raised position of the reset stern itt, the flow interrupter valve W2 enters the valve opening iii and shuts off communication between the inlet chamber i@ and the outlet chamber l2 through the opening i6 and thereby 4 `the flow of fuel to the main burner to prevent the escape of gaseous fuel from the main burner during the resetting operation.

The valve member 25 is open, however, at this time, and the passageway H2, by-passing the valve |122, sets up the desired supply of gaseous fuel to the pilot burner where it may be ignited A couple mocouple leads to the connector terminal means as it issues from the pilot burner by applying a match or otherwise as desired. The thermocouple is positioned with the thermal junction H22 subject to the heat of the pilot ame and, as

' to be held in open position against the tension of the spring |40. The reset button l0! may then be released, and the springv H0 moves the f stem IBI! downwardly to the position shown in Figure 1, and with itthe valve |02 to open position. A

The gaseous fuel then iiows through the valve opening i6 and out through the fuel supply line I4 to the feed pipe to which air is admitted, and

the gaseous mixture enters the main burner 'thereby shutting oi the flow of fuel to the main burner and to the pilot burner.

The bottom wall of the cup Ml is shown as depressed at Hi and provided with an opening H2 in which the stem 28 has reciprocatory move- The opening |142 is sealed against the,

ment. leakage of gas or other fuel from the body l0 into the electromagnet enclosure by suitable packing indicated at M3. A washer is provided at M5, and the spring it@ surrounds the valve stem 22 and is interposed between the washer M5 and the valve member 25. The spring ltd, which is shownas of generallyconical form, in addition to moving the valve 25 to closed position and the armature @il to retracted position upon extinguishrnent of the flame, compresses the packing itt tightly about the stem 2t to prevent leakage of fuel into the hood and cup assembly.

The pilot fuel supply passageway H53 extends out at iiil from opposite sides of the valve body as indicated in Figure 2, and the dlametrically opposite outlets of this passageway are provided with screw plugs H2. By removing either plug H2, the pilot supply tube may be connected to either side of the valve body as desired.

l do not intend to belimited to the precise details shown or described.

I claim:

1. In combination, an electromagnet comprising a magnet frame and a coil therefor, a supporting plate for said magnet frame, an armae ture guide, insulating means between said armature guide and the coil of said electromagnet, means securing said plate, electromagnet, insulating means and armature guide together into a unitary assembly, quick detachable terminal connector means carried by said plate and comprising a pair of terminal connector members one disposed within the other, and insulating means between said terminal connector members.

2. In combination, an electromagnet comprising a magnet frame anda coil therefor, a supporting plate for said magnet frame, an armature guide, insulating 'means between said armature guide and the coil of said electromagnet', means securing said plate, electromagnet, insulating means and armature guide together into a unitary assembly, quick detachable terminal connector means carried by said plate and comprising a pair of terminal connector members one disposed within the other, and insulating means between said terminal connector members, said coil having a pair of terminal leads one connected to each' of said terminal connector members.

3. In a. device of the class described, a hood, a supporting plate mounted on said hood in position within the hood, a threaded connector sleeve carried by said plate and extending through an opening in the wall of the hood, a, nut having said sleeve for securing the sleeve andplate on the hood,- a terminal stud carried within said 1 sleeve and having abutment means cooperating with abutment means within said sleeve and insulated therefrom, the inner end of said stud extending inwardly of said supporting plate and having abutment means cooperating with the inner side of said supporting plate for securing the connector sleeve and stud to said plate, and an electromagnet carried by said plate and having a coil provided with a pair of terminals, one connected to the inner end of said stud and the other grounded to said plate.

4. In a device of the class described, a hood. a supporting plate mounted on said hood in position within the hood, a threaded connector sleeve carried by said plate and extending through an opening in the Wall of the hood, a nut having threaded engagement with the projecting end of said sleeve for securing the sleeve and plate on the hood, a terminal stud carried within said sleeve and having abutment' means cooperating with abutment means within said sleeve and in sulated therefrom, the inner end of said stud extending inwardly of said supporting plate and I having abutment means cooperating with the inner side of said supporting plate for securing the connector sleeve and stud to said plate, an

" electromagnet carried by said plate and having a coil provided with a pairof terminals, one connected to the inner end of said stud and the other grounded to said plate, an armature for said eleotromagnet, and an armature guide insulated from the electromagnet and clamped in place on said supporting plate.

5. In a device of the class described, a hood, a supporting plate mounted on said hood in position within the hood, a connector sleeve carried by said plate and having an enlarged outer threaded portion abutting the outer side of said plate and extending outwardly through an opening .in the wall of said hood and a reduced inner portion fitting in an opening in said plate, a nut having threaded engagement with the outwardly projecting end of said sleeve for securing the sleeve and plate on the hood, a terminal stud carried within said sleeve and having abutment means cooperating with abutment means within said sleeve and insulated therefrom, the inner end of said stud being reduced and extending inwardly of said supporting plate and having abutment means cooperating with the inner side of said supporting plate for securing the connector sleeve and'stud to said plate, and an electromagnet carried by said plate and having a coil provided with a pair of terminals one connected to the inner end of said stud and the other connected to said plate.

6. In a device of the class described, in com# bination, a magnet housing having an end wall and a side wall extending inwardly therefrom. a magnet support positioned within said housing adjacent said end wall and carrying connector means extending through an opening in said end wall, means cooperating with the extending por- Y tion of said connector means for securing said magnet support the interior of the end wall of the housing, an electromagnet disposed within said housing and comprising a magnet frame secured to said support, an armature guide at the inner end of said magnet frame and opening inwardly for receiving and guiding an armature to attracted and retracted positions with respect to said magnet frame, means cooperating with said armature guide and with said magnet support for securing the armature guide t0 the inag-l net support, and coil means for the magnet frame, said coil means being interposed between the armature guide and a portion of the magnet frame and held in place with respect to theymagnet frame byrsaid armature guide.

7. In a device of the class described, a hood, Y

a supporting plate mounted on said hood in position within the hood, a connector sleeve carried by said plate and having an enlarged outer threaded portion abutting the outer side of said plate and extending outwardly through an opening in the wall of said hood and a reduced inner portion fitting in an opening in said plate, a nut having threaded engagement with the outwardly projecting end of said sleeve for securing the` sleeve and plate on the hood, a terminal stud carried within said sleeve and having abutment means cooperating with abutment means within said sleeve and insulated. therefrom, the inner end of said stud extending inwardly of said supporting plate and having abutment means cooperating with the inner side of said supporting plate forrsecuring the connector sleeve and stud to said plate, an electromagnet carried by said plate and having a coil provided with a pair of terminals one connected to the inner end of said stud and the other connected to said plate, saidelectromagnet having a magnet frame .se-

.cured to said plate, an armature guide at the inner end of said magnet frame and opening inwardly for receiving and guiding an amature to attracted and retracted positions with respect to said magnet Irama and means cooperating with said armature guide and with said plate for se.

curing the armature guide to said plate, said coil being interposed between the armature guide and a. portion of the magnet frame and held in place with respect to the magnet frame by said armature guide.

HENRY F. ALFERY.

Disclaimer 2,321,119.-H :yl F. AZfery, Milwaukee, Wis. THERMOELECTM@ SAFETY SHUT- OFF DEVICE. Patent dated June 8, 1943. Disclaimer ille-cl Apr. 6,

1951, by the assignee, Milwaukee Gas Specialty 00m/pany. Hereby enters this disclaimer to c [Official Gazette May 1, 1.951.] l

lams l, 2, 4, 6, and 7 of Said patent.

Disclaimer 2,321,119.-He2wy F. Alfery, Milwaukee, Wis- THERMOEmo'rRlG SAFETY SHUT- OFF DEvCE. Patent dated June 8, 1943. Disclaimer led Apr. 6, 1951, by the assignee, Milwaukee Gas Specialty Oompany. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 1, 2, 4, 6, and 7 of said pate-nt. [Oficial Gazette May 1, 1951.] l 

